


We Are The Library

by Elaya



Series: Alternate Endings - New Beginnings [4]
Category: The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: Episode: s04e12 And the Echoes of Memory, F/M, Family Bonding, Fix-It, Team as Family, everyone gets to be a little bit of a hero in this, really trying to salvage about anything in this dumpsterfire of a finale, suck it up Flynn!, you're not the only one who matters!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:08:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25694053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elaya/pseuds/Elaya
Summary: Nicole is trying to alter reality and cloud the memories of the Librarians, she thinks she has succeeded, but two brave women are out there fighting for their loved ones. My very own take on the disastrous finale of the Librarians.
Relationships: Cassandra Cillian/Jenkins | Galahad, Eve Baird/Flynn Carsen
Series: Alternate Endings - New Beginnings [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1841416
Comments: 7
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a repost, I wrote it in 2018 and I'm still mad about the finale...

“Respect The Company – report problems” was written on posters all over the walls. There were people, strangers. The colors of the walls matched the clothes of the people, everything was of a greyish-beige color. Somehow even the air seemed to be beige.  
In the middle of this scenario a petite little Librarian with red hair had appeared and it seemed like she had emerged from a broom closet. While looking around, she spotted a door with the label ‘locker room’ on it. Quickly she grabbed the handle and slipped inside the small chamber, before anyone could see her. Where on earth had she landed? This didn’t look like any place, she and the other Librarians had ever visited – and they had visited a lot of different locations during their almost five years of working for the magical Library.   
Wherever here happened to be, her goal now was to find Jacob and Ezekiel, Eve and Flynn, team up, find Nicole and get back to the Library to hopefully save Jenkins. Time was of the essence. Cassandra looked around, grabbed some of the beige clothes she could find and put them on. Now she only needed to tie her vibrant red hair into an unassuming, strict bun, to make the illusion work. When she came out of the locker room again, she looked almost like any of the other workers here, who were all very busy stapling files. From time to time, a nervous little man hasted out of his office to let a person know, they had stapled off center. Things seemed to get weirder by the second. So the next time the man disappeared in his office again, Cassandra carefully made her way to the exit. She spotted some guards, but could hide behind a corner, just in time before they saw her. Somehow she knew her presence could evoke some suspicion towards whoever was in charge and so it was best to try and blend in. When she finally found an exit, she cautiously peeked out. The world outside was just as strange as it had been inside the facility, this wasn’t any town she knew.   
What was even stranger and much more worrying than the looks of this ashen colored world, was the fact that it seemed to affect her memories of the Library too. Of course Cassandra remembered Jenkins, her love, but other than that, she had a hard time picturing the rooms or the artifacts. As if their lively colors and their inventive designs somehow started fading into a dull, grey mass inside her mind as well.   
“No, this will not do” a resolute Cassandra stated. She was determined to find the others and bring them back to the Library. Nothing and no one would stop her. It was Jenkins’ last chance to survive. She remembered a trick Flynn had told them about. It was called a “memory palace.” A place in your mind where you go to and systematically line up things, buildings, people or events you aren’t allowed to forget. So she found a little nook between two buildings, where it was quiet and shady, so the sun and the people couldn’t disturb her, closed her eyes and imagined the Library and her favorite spots in it. There was the lab, where she worked, all the little flasks and vials, potion books. Her lab coat was hanging on the hook, a gift from Jenkins. And then there was Jenkins himself, working next to her, strong-willed, brilliant and healthy Jenkins. At that last thought Cassandra felt a lump forming in her throat. This had to do for now, there was no more time to waste!  
But where to start? The Librarian looked around, there weren’t really directions, just posters everywhere, telling people to snitch on everyone else. How encouraging. She sighed and made her way to what was looking like the city center.   
She almost passed the used car dealership, where the cars were as angular and bland as all the rest of the town, when she spotted them. Eve and Jacob! Excitedly she rushed towards them, while still trying to not raise any suspicions. Eve’s mouth instantly curled into a smile and she would have given her friend a hug, but this didn’t seem too smart in a town where everything was beige. Hugs weren’t beige at all!   
Jacob on the other hand was too busy trying to talk Eve into buying a car. “Good strategy, Jake” Cassandra whispered, he just raised a brow at her. That’s when their Guardian took over and asked for a test drive.   
“What about your lady friend, here?” car salesman Jacob asked eyeing Cassandra, she didn’t seem like a potential buyer to him.   
“I am sure you can persuade her, if you take us both on a cruise. What do you say?” Eve was very diplomatic. When she looked over to Cassandra, signaling her to play along, the redhead plastered on a fake smile and nodded enthusiastically.   
“Alright young ladies, then get ready for the most average ride of your life” Jacob was all business, Eve rolled her eyes, while Cassandra felt like banging her head against a wall.   
During their drive, the “ladies” managed to convince Jacob, that he was indeed a Librarian. He told them about the recurring dreams, which sounded strange to Cassandra. How long did he think he had been here? As far as she remembered they only had left the Library about an hour ago. The historian turned car salesman was very apprehensive at first, because Eve, so he said, looked like a member of the “thought police”. Dreams were forbidden!   
“How do you police dreams?” Cassandra wondered. She found out, that Eve had seen Flynn on a recording he had left for her to find, he had been captured by Nicole all these months ago. And they had been thinking that he left on his own accord, again, because he did not want to be tethered to the Library with Eve. The Guardian herself revealed to Cassandra, how she too had to build a memory palace, because this place was meddling with her mind as well.   
“Now we need to find Ezekiel.” Eve frowned “who knows where he is hiding.”  
“Ezekiel?” Jacob’s personality was still oscillating between Librarian and car-salesman. “When you say Ezekiel, you don’t mean Ezekiel Jones by any chance? The Ezekiel Jones?” He nearly jumped with excitement, when the two women nodded and explained to them that Ezekiel had his own TV show, which was in fact the only TV show the citizens were allowed to watch.   
Despite their bleak situation, Cassandra found it amusing, that Ezekiel Jones, who usually wanted his name and reputation as master thief to be known, but his face to stay hidden, was running a TV show in this strange alternate reality. Luckily Jake knew the location of the studio which made the show and they were even luckier to arrive just as another episode was being filmed.   
As it turned out, Jake was an avid fan of the show “I fell down” and its host. He was positively swooning about Ezekiel’s good looks and his funny humor. Unfortunately the thief turned show host didn’t share their enthusiasm when the three people he didn’t recognize at all introduced themselves as his friends and co-workers. The two Librarians could just escape the building on time, but had to helplessly watch as Eve was taken away by several security men. They needed a plan.   
In the end their plan consisted of simply waiting for Ezekiel by his car and, as Cassandra bluntly put it “kidnap him.” He was not pleased to say the least. In spite of having a fun show on the outside, the Ezekiel of this reality was a no fun guy. He even threatened to call security on his “kidnappers”.   
When the young woman with the red hair told him he would not do such a thing, Ezekiel snapped. “How can you be so sure about that, Cassandra?” he blurted out.   
“Because I know Ezekiel Jones”, was the simple answer from the redhead “because he knows me too and because I never told you my name.”   
This convinced him enough to drive them to the place where he was almost certain the security staff had brought Eve Baird to. The mental institution. When the three got out of the car, it dawned on them that they had no idea how to get inside the building.   
Cassandra’s mind felt blurry. What was it again? The things she tried not to forget? A room, with pots and pans? Or was it something else? What was that thing on the coat hanger? “Oh no! Think, Cassandra, think!” she chided herself, distressed. Suddenly there was a flash of silver hair and dark, friendly eyes. “Jenkins!! The lab, their research and alchemy, her lab coat!” she remembered, it felt a bit like having her brain wrapped in cotton and she sensed that some parts were still missing, but it was better than nothing.  
“We have done this before, guys!” she tried to convince the others. ”You know a lot about architecture” was what she said to Stone, who suddenly started to recite the parameters of the building as if he had built it himself and he was most surprised, where all this information had come from. There still was the problem of the guards.   
“You do that thing with your hands” Ezekiel remarked while looking at Cassandra.   
“With my hands?” that was a detail, which seemed completely new to her. So she spread out her palms and fingers to convince her friend that he was mistaken, when suddenly her synesthesia gift opened up before her eyes. “Holy moly” she burst out, enchanted.   
“What do you see?” the others asked. “Everything” was her answer and this also included the time the guards would need to return from their patrol around the building.   
Now show host Ezekiel could prove that he was still a natural con artist, by disabling the alarm system without any problems and the three ‘partners in crime’ could enter the building. Jacob suddenly ripped off his sleeves, which simply helped him feel like himself again and earned him a frown from both of his companions.   
Unfortunately they were discovered by the guards pretty soon and to the question who they were, they replied in unison “We’re the Librarians!” which made the guards nod and let them pass through.  
“Ok, can anybody tell me why that worked?” Jacob asked in disbelief, but everyone else just shrugged.   
Since they had gotten past the guards, the other employees didn’t bother them anymore. They found some white coats, put them on and went to look for Eve and Flynn. When they spotted two bulky men, dragging Eve into a surgery room, Cassandra bravely stepped up and pretended to be the assigned surgeon to what seemed to be a planned lobotomy, she managed to distract the two assistants just long enough for Stone and Jones to overpower them.   
The Guardian was very relieved to see her three Librarians again, alive and working together, using their wits and gifts as usual. Now they only had to find out where Flynn was. Ezekiel quickly broke into the room where he was normally locked in, but there was no trace of him. Eve suspected the worst and indeed, Flynn had been brought to surgery as well. After a bit of sneaking, persuading and one or two punches, they managed to get to the door of the surgery room. Wasting no time, Eve Baird knocked down the door, the two surgeons who had already gotten their instruments ready didn’t resist much as she untied Flynn from the hospital bed. A big window was located at the other end of the room. On the other side of the glass, Nicole was standing with some of her guards. She was furious when she saw the Librarians slipping through her fingers together with their Guardian and instantly ordered for them to be caught.   
While the friends fled from Nicole and her security, Cassandra grabbed Eve’s arm “We need to take Nicole with us to the Library!” her words didn’t leave any doubt on how serious she was about this.  
“Nicole? The woman we are just trying really hard to run away from?” Eve asked, out of breath.   
“Charlene said we have to take her back with us, that she is far too dangerous to stay out here” the young Librarian tried to explain her point.  
“Wait, Charlene?” the Guardian looked at her with bulging eyes, but in the end, this was all she needed to know. “Ok, guys, change of plan. We need to take Nicole with us, she is chasing us, but we are chasing her too. Come up with something!”  
In all the chaos their outbreak from the surgery had caused, the other patients had started a riot and were now running through the corridors as well, shoving the guards and each other. Nicole tried to stay close, but always at a safe distance, behind the accomplices who were shielding her. The small group of Librarians and Guardian approached a security fence, behind which was another exit door. The gate to the fence had an electrically charged safety door. Jacob managed to open it, but first he had to wait for everyone to get in. Flynn ran over to the exit. This door wasn’t hard to open, but proved to be useless, thanks to the brick wall right on the outside. So they seemed trapped in that small area between the door and the fence and Ezekiel had disappeared somewhere among the guards and the patients.  
The young Australian remembered everything now. He especially recalled a particular Christmas memory, in which he had tried to save his mother from the Prince of Thieves. Instead of stealing something, he had actually tried to put something back, using very skilled moves, combined into a graceful dance, to avoid an alarm system made of laser beams. He used the same skills now, jumping and turning, ducking and swaying. The patients of the institution began to clap their hands, the guards tried to catch the agile young man while Nicole was shouting orders at them, but no one managed to get their hands on Ezekiel Jones. He turned so abruptly, that two security men bumped into each other and both toppled over. Another one lost balance while tripping over his own feet and fell to the ground. The fourth man stretched his arms and made a hearty jump at the thief, before hitting the wall with his head. So in the end, Nicole just stood there alone among her pile of dizzy guards. Ezekiel ran past her, attached handcuffs to her wrist, which he had stolen from one of the guards and pulled her into the space behind the fence. It all happened so quickly that Nicole couldn’t even protest or fight back. Jake disabled the safety door, by jamming a screwdriver into it, he had found lying around. No one could open the fence anymore now from either side.  
It appeared like they were trapped, yet Eve Baird already had a plan “We need to manifest the Library! Everyone join hands and imagine their favorite spots in it.”   
Unfortunately the evil former Guardian was having none of that. She didn’t intend to simply watch her masterplan fail and she certainly didn’t want to return to the Library where she would be even less welcome than here, among these Librarians. So she started to pull fiercely on her handcuffs, boxing Ezekiel’s arm and screeching like a furious banshee. She turned around and tried to attack Cassandra, by trying to scratch her face with long nails. That was when Eve had enough, she stepped between the two women and gave Nicole a forceful fist punch right into her face. The others watched the vicious woman stumble a few steps back and finally slump down to the floor, unconscious.   
For the time being, Nicole didn’t pose a threat anymore, but Ezekiel still kept her handcuffed to him, in case she woke up too soon and also to be able to pull her back to the Library with them. She sat sprawled in the middle of their little circle, while Ezekiel took the hands of Cassandra and Eve. He thought of his favorite, shiny artifacts and saw the Library slowly appear around him, everything all of a sudden looking brighter and more colorful. When he was sure they had really arrived home, he unlocked the handcuffs and rubbed his wrist. Cheerfully he got up, asking the jewels in the display cases if they had missed him.   
His smile soon faded however, when he saw an anxious Cassandra dashing past him, calling out for Jenkins as she ran towards the annex. Ezekiel followed closely after, so did Jacob. Flynn didn’t really know what had happened during his absence, there hadn’t been enough time for anyone to explain it to him. So he helped Eve pull up Nicole, who was still out cold. Eve motioned for her boyfriend to follow the other Librarians, while she grabbed the former Guardian by one arm, lifted her up and threw her over the shoulder like like a rag doll. Carrying the unconscious woman like this, she closely followed Flynn.   
Cassandra stormed into the annex, pushing the doors open with so much haste the glass nearly shattered. Her destination was the big, central table, where she had left the man she loved behind; injured, weak and helpless. She shuddered at the mere thought now and was even more afraid as to what she might find upon her return. Charlene’s reflection in the mirror had told her back then that she had no choice and while this was most likely true, it didn’t help to lessen Cassandra’s guilt over leaving Jenkins. Even though Charlene had promised to keep watch, there was nothing the first Guardian of the Library could actively do for Jenkins, since she now existed on another realm of reality and couldn’t interact with their world apart from the occasional communication.   
The young Librarian saw Charlene’s image in the mirror, her expression radiating sadness and sympathy. Next to her the reflection of Judson, the first Librarian and founder of the magical Library had appeared now as well.   
Cassandra had no time for courtesy now, so she rushed ahead without greeting the two apparitions inside the mirror and came to a halt next to the table.   
Jenkins! How pale and defenseless he looked. He who had always been her strong, immortal, nearly invulnerable knight. She was startled when she took his hand and realized how cold it felt to her touch. Gently dabbing the sweat drops from his forehead with the magical shroud covering him, she tenderly whispered to him.   
“Jenkins, my love, I’m back, just like I promised. I told you, I would come back and here I am. All the others are back as well, even Flynn. Everything is going to be alright again, I am never going to leave you behind from now on. We will be together and I will make you so happy. Can you hear me, Jenkins? I love you, my knight, I love you so much. I have so many things I want us to do together, so many places to see, so much I want to ask you. I missed your voice so much, your smile. Please wake up, my darling Galahad, don’t leave me here all alone. I don’t want to imagine a future without you.” Cassandra pleaded, tenderly kissing and caressing his face, looking for signs of his lashes fluttering to open his wise, dark eyes to look at her, of his lips whispering to her, his fingers grasping hers. Yet his body remained lifeless under her touch.   
When the others entered the annex, the young woman was still gently cooing, tears running down her cheeks and falling onto the Shroud of Lazarus, which covered the knight who lay still on the table. No one said a word, they could only stand and watch in anguish, as Cassandra laid her head on his chest, weeping quietly. She had promised to come back to him, she wanted to make things right. How often had he saved her life and the lives of other Librarians and Guardians over centuries, how often had he thrown himself selflessly into danger to bail them out of hopeless situations? And now that it had been up to her to do the same for him, she had failed him, she had lost him forever and she would have to live with the guilt and remorse for the rest of her life.   
“He truly loved you, you know.” Charlene’s voice carried over to the sobbing woman, who raised her head and looked towards the mirror, tears clouding her vision. “The few words Jenkins spoke were mostly about you, how brave and beautiful you are, how kind and smart. He said the only thing he regretted was, that he didn’t let you into his heart earlier. He was a very guarded man, Cassandra. I may have been partially at fault for that too. I should have encouraged him more to go out, to find a mate. Now the Library found one for him it seems.” The voice of the older woman was tinged with sorrow. “He said something about cucumber sandwiches and how they were good enough to die for. At least that is what it sounded like. I’m not sure I understood him correctly, he was speaking very quietly in the end.”  
At these words Cassandra started sobbing again, clutching the hand of the pale caretaker.   
Suddenly she drew in a sharp breath, her head popping up. “Guys,” she called out with new hope in her voice “I think I can feel a pulse!”   
Everyone was certain that it was just her wishful thinking, but to support their desperate friend, Flynn was the first next to the table and took Jenkins’ hand, which was almost cold as ice. “I’m sorry, old friend” he murmured as he carefully searched for a pulse. “I should have believed your judgement. If only I could make amends and promise to do better in the future.” He hadn’t even finished his sentence as he jumped up, his face and movements excited. “Ha! Cassandra you were right! You clever Librarian, you. There is a pulse! But only a faint one. Librarians, help me out here, what do we do? Whatever happens has to happen really quickly now!”   
“It is a magical wound” Eve whispered “even if he is still alive, not even Bathsheba’s Oil of Healing was able to mend it.” Her voice was rough and she had tear stains on her face as well. Jenkins had become one of her closest friends. A soldier like her, they knew how to bond through their experiences on the battle field as well as through their interactions with comrades and enemies over the span of their active years. If she should lose him now, if Cassandra, if the Library should lose him… She had propped up the blacked out Nicole on the first chair she could find as soon as they had entered the annex. Now Eve wanted to pull the traitorous Guardian to her feet, shake her awake and then choke the very life out of her. She had brought this all upon them. Eve had never felt so powerless in all her life. Everyone looked at the other for help, Cassandra was on the verge of a breakdown. The man she loved was still alive, if barely and now they should all just look upon him and do nothing while he was dying? She could not accept this, there had to be a solution. “Don’t we eat the impossible for breakfast?” she uttered numbly.   
The sound of someone clearing his throat cut through the silence and startled the five people who were lost in their thoughts. They looked towards the mirror. Judson was looking gravely at them and began to speak. “We need to act quickly, there is still a chance for Galahad to survive. We almost have all we need within the Library. However there is something missing. Something one of you took from the Library months ago, which seemed worthless then, but is now essential for saving Galahad’s life.”   
Cassandra gasped in shock and almost everyone automatically turned to Ezekiel, who stared back at them with pure horror. “I…I didn’t steal anything from the Library, mates, I promise, I swear! I wouldn’t take anything from the Library, especially if I knew it would harm Jenkins, or anyone else!”  
At that moment Nicole was stirring in her chair, slowly regaining conscious again. “Cover your ears, please” Judson warned. Everyone did as told. Sweet music filled the annex, it was the sound of Pan’s Flute, playing the special melody, which made people fall asleep and soon the treacherous woman had dozed off into a deep slumber. The flute set itself back on a shelf and everyone uncovered their ears. “This should keep her asleep for another ten minutes, which should be enough.” Judson stated.  
The first Librarian let his eyes wander over the small group of people until his look fixated on one of them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the heroes are back in the Library, but they still aren't in the clear. A lot of problem solving and family bonding ensues!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter of my attempt to save my favourite characters who were just neglected and forgotten by that dreadful script (yes it's been 2 years and yes I'm still salty)

“Jacob Stone” he said calmly “would you be so kind as to retrieve the item from your apartment?”   
Now the three Librarians and their Guardian looked even more shocked, but Jacob just nodded quietly and went towards the back door, which opened directly to the hallway of his flat. The others waited, they were lost for words, but when they saw Jacob return, their eyes widened. He was carrying a green, rectangle shaped container, with dark green leaves sprouting out at its top. It was a flower pot. All of them immediately recognized the pot and the plant it contained. It was a very rare species of buckthorn, the buckthorn of Gilgamesh. Jenkins had found and nurtured it years ago until it had grown to an impressive size. But they all remembered how it had withered into nothingness once the knight had used the plant in combination with a special spell to give up his immortality and transfer it to Nicole Noone. Now the plant seemed to be in full bloom again, how was that possible?   
They also knew that now was not the time for asking questions. The group of intelligent people immediately grasped, what was to be done. Jacob set the pot down on the annex table, closely to Jenkins’ head. Cassandra removed the Shroud of Lazarus from his body and she and Ezekiel carefully spread the vines of the plant over his chest. Meanwhile Flynn and Eve moved the chair with the sleeping Nicole to the head of the table, positioned her hands inside the pot and propped her up so she wouldn’t fall over. For the ritual to work, no one was allowed to touch her or Jenkins during the reading of the magical words. When she nearly slipped off the chair and tumbled to the floor, Excalibur came flying down the gallery and acted as a brace to keep her steady in her seat. Jacob retrieved the little book containing the verse he had grown to hate over the past months, it opened up at precisely the right page. He cast a questioning look around and received encouraging nods. Everyone was ready and so the Historian began to read the Epic of Gilgamesh. This time however, there was no trembling in his voice, no second-guessing, no dreading the words any more.   
“Friendship is vowing toward immortality and does not know the passing away of beauty because it aims for the spirit. Hold my hand in yours, and we will not fear what hands like ours can do.” He read the words loud and clear and when he ended, there were tears in his eyes, like when he had first read them. Only this time, a proud little smile was tugging at the corners of his mouth.   
Time seemed to stand still when Jacob had finished the spell. It seemed as if the annex itself and all its artifacts were holding their breath, just as much as the people in it. They waited, they hoped and they all looked at the table where their ancient caretaker lay.   
The white haired man abruptly opened his eyes and drew in a deep breath, making them gasp and jump in wonder. Cassandra shrieked in delight and covered her mouth with both hands.   
Jenkins sat up straight on the table, looking around, blinking confused. Once he noticed the dry vines of the magic plant still sticking to his chest, he turned around to spot a still dazed Nicole, who was slowly blinking and coming back from her trance. Realization dawned on him, he remembered being stabbed by the dagger, remembered being on the verge of dead, 1500 years of life passing before his eyes. All the memories, good and bad ones and the very few really happy moments, Cassandra...  
He had felt so much regret, about turning her down, had wanted to tell her so many things, but she had gone to find the others. Charlene? Charlene had been here as well, he remembered her talking to him. Everything was a blur and his head was still buzzing from the recent events and his shoulder still hurt. He had been mortal after all, when this magical wound had been inflicted on him and it would take some days, maybe even up to a week, before it would heal completely.  
As he took in his surroundings, his beloved annex, which had almost become the place for him to draw his last breath, he became aware of the five people gawking at him with eyes and mouths wide open. “Ah, there you all are!” he greeted them, as if they had just been out on a relaxing Sunday walk. A smile spread over his face at the sight of the stunned Librarians and their Guardian and a moment later he burst out into a hearty belly laughter. They were all back, they were home, he was alive and immortal again and Nicole wouldn’t be able to change their fates so soon anymore.   
“Jenkins!” Cassandra found her voice first and threw herself into his arms. He flinched a bit, when she touched his injured shoulder, but when she tried to pull away he would have none of it and held her close, burying his face in her soft, red hair. When she raised her head to smile at him, both of them had happy tears glistening in their eyes. Forgetting all self-consciousness for a moment, Jenkins pulled her into a shy, but passionate kiss, which Cassandra eagerly returned.   
Flynn couldn’t hold onto himself any longer and approached the snogging couple to wrap his arms about both of them. “You both did so great, I’m so proud of you” he whispered earnestly. That’s when Eve and the two young men joined their group hug as well, all of them shedding some more happy tears in the light of their reunion.   
Judson clearing his throat once more, was what made the small group separate. He looked pointedly at Nicole, who was weakened by the magic, which had made her mortal again. They could see she was angry, but also very scared, especially with Excalibur so close by and all the Librarians, Eve and Jenkins reunited. Her plan had failed.   
“You chose the wrong path, Nicole Noone” Judson reprimanded her. “You betrayed the Library, everyone and everything in it. There shall be a punishment and you will be glad to find out, that the Library isn’t as cruel as yourself, otherwise the sentence might have been death. From today on, you will be banned from the Library, you will be teleported to a place where you won’t ever be able to gain the kind of power to harm anyone. It will be somewhere remote, where you will have to work hard to gain respect again. You might only use your skills and knowledge for good from now on. The Library will also cast a protection spell over you, keeping you from ever finding the Library again or anyone associated with the Library to find you. Your bad example will be taught to future Librarians and Guardians, lest they forget what greed, jealousy and powerful magic in the wrong hands can do to a person who once was good, once was fighting for our cause instead of against us.”   
Nicole watched in horror as the chair she sat on started moving and slid towards the magic door, she screamed and tried to get up, yet it felt like she was glued to her seat. The door swung open and the former Guardian was hurled outside, to a location no one knew or dared to ask about. A few seconds afterwards the door opened again and hurled an empty chair back in, which was luckily caught mid-air by Ezekiel, before it could damage any of the many fragile things in the annex.   
“Well, that was something” Eve was the first to find her voice again. “I really hope Nicole will learn her lesson and never antagonize the Library or try to become a mini tyrant ever again. I really wonder what she will do with her life now.”  
“At least her life was spared and she can start over” Cassandra commented while gently caressing Jenkins’ arm. “She can be thankful for everything, even if she just becomes a factory worker.”   
“Or a saleswoman for used cars” Jacob retorted with a wink.  
“Don’t underestimate her, mates” Ezekiel declared “maybe she gets discovered for the local TV network and gets her own funny show.”   
Everyone snickered at that comment. Eve however had noticed how the thief had gotten very quiet since they had entered the annex, so she approached the young Australian and laid her hand on his shoulder.   
“Hey, Ezekiel, that was really neat stuff you pulled there with the guards and the handcuffs, very nicely done.” She complimented tentatively.   
“Yeah, I’m a thief, it’s what I do. I can’t do much else, though.” Was the answer.   
“Don’t sell yourself short, mate” the Guardian tried to encourage him. “Despite what you might say or think, you are not expendable. We all know that and the Library knows it too, or it wouldn’t have chosen you to be our asset, our joker, our famous and awesome thief. Don’t ever forget that. You belong here and you will always be a part of our family.”   
These words elicited a shy smile from the young man and he squeezed Eve’s shoulder in return. “Well, if you say it like that, I must admit that it was pretty awesome what I did there, it’s because I’m awesome! I’m Ezekiel Jones, after all!”   
The blonde woman could see in his eyes that he was still humble and only messing with her, but she was glad to see his old, overconfident self returning. He would be fine, she was pretty sure of it, however she made a mental note to check on him more often from now on. It had become quite evident to her that he was much more sensitive than he let on.   
After Eve’s words of praise, he gingerly reached for the flower pot on the table, picked it up and walked towards Jacob, who was standing next to the mirror talking to Flynn, Judson and Charlene. When he saw his Australian friend approach, he took a few steps aside. “Hey Jones” he greeted the thief.  
“How did you do it?” Ezekiel asked simply.  
“It was after we came back from teambuilding camp, man.” Jacob began his story. “During the time I was inside that tree, I don’t know, something happened to me. I suddenly knew exactly where to put this plant, or any plant, how much sun it needs, what kind of soil, if it has too much water or too little. This thing started sprouting like crazy, man, I tell you.”  
“That is cool, mate, but there’s still one thing I don’t understand” the young Australian wondered “we went to teambuilding camp months after Jenkins used that plant for the transference ceremony, months after this plant was supposed to be dead. What made you take it home in the first place?”  
“You know” the historian fiddled with the hem of his checkered shirt as he tried to explain “I used to work on an oil rig. These things are just… damn, there’s nothing man, nothing around you but salt water. The only thing green you see for months are those freaking algae sticking to the metal posts. It’s tedious and you start missing it, missing nature, missing the green things. I guess that’s why I couldn’t do it, man, I couldn’t throw that plant away when Jenkins told me to. Not after I saw that there were some green leaves left on it after all. It was not much, but I tried to keep it alive and then, when I came home from the camp it suddenly began to thrive. That’s when I knew I made the right choice.”  
Ezekiel examined the rectangle shaped pot and its contents closely. The whole plant was withered and dry, many leaves had already fallen off and those few which hadn’t were of a brownish color, almost as if they had been burned. “I’m sorry mate, but this time it’s toast. Not even your grandfather-tree mumbo-jumbo will be able to save it, I’m afraid.” He remarked apologetically.  
“Nah, that’s alright” Jacob commented “Jenkins was very well worth the sacrifice” he nudged his head towards the caretaker, who was still sitting on the annex table, affectionately holding his red haired Librarian while tenderly nuzzling her cheek. Those two seemed to have forgotten the world and anyone around them for now.  
“Besides,” he continued “there are still the two saplings on my kitchen windowsill, so far I think they are doing great!” When he saw the surprised look on his companion’s face the historian and plant expert nonchalantly shrugged “After all, who knows when there’s another immortal to save, right?”   
Ezekiel’s mouth spread into a wide grin. “Jake the plant whisperer” he joked, but there was just a tinge of awe in his voice.   
While the two lads had been talking, Cassandra had told Jenkins, interrupted by several tender kisses and caresses, how they had made their journey back to the annex and also that it had been Jacob, who had kept the buckthorn all these months and had nursed it back to life so it could be used to save the knight.   
The young woman suddenly remembered her little talk with Jacob while Jenkins had been away on his first visit to Jeff and his friends. Jacob had told her back then, how hard it had been for all of them seeing Jenkins give up on his immortality. It was only now that she realized how much guilt the historian had harbored over these past months. He was obviously feeling partly responsible for Jenkins’ almost fatal injury, even though the caretaker himself had asked for him to read the verse which completed the transference. Since that was only her suspicion, even though she was pretty sure she was right about this, Cassandra didn’t tell Jenkins about this gut-feeling concerning Jacob, but she did admit, that Jake had been greatly distressed by the fact that their caretaker had chosen mortality.   
The old knight listened attentively, a pensive look on his face. When Cassandra’s story ended, he got up to his feet and padded in Jacob’s direction. Upon reaching the younger man, Jenkins extended a hand towards him. They exchanged a formal hand shake, but just as the younger man wanted to release the hand of the caretaker, he was pulled into a big bear hug, very similar to the one Eve had received when she had managed to free Jenkins from the Harness of Mahakali during the trial. “Thank you, Mister Stone” Jenkins rumbled softly “thank you so much for saving my life, for giving my immortality back to me.”   
As he let go of him, Jenkins noticed that Jake’s eyes were filling with tears of joy and as he spoke, he gulped a few times while trying to get hold of his emotions. “Nah, that’s alright, Jenkins. Just setting things straight again, I’m glad I could do something for you for a change.”  
“That is one remarkable gift you have there,” Jenkins continued. “I know you are not keen on using magic, but since working with plants happens to be something you like and has apparently become a specialty of yours, perhaps I may take advantage of this by asking for your aid in the lab from time to time? I have some healing plants, which could benefit from someone with your knowledge. I am trying my best to make them grow properly, but some of them are really stubborn and I feel it would do them some good to see a ‘plant wizard’ who could talk them into thriving again.” He accompanied the last bit with a wink and a grin.   
Jake blushed intensely at all the praise and the offer to help the caretaker with his work in the lab. So far, only Cassandra had been given that privilege, which was only natural, since she was the scientist among the three of them. He had always tried to befriend the knight, but so far their relationship had always been kind of strained. Jenkins was not only a scientist, he was a knight of the Round Table, a living legend, history come to life before his very eyes. It was only natural that the historian always got a bit dewy-eyed when Jenkins hinted at his past. Then there was his bravery during the fight with the vampires and the many more times he had saved the Librarians from a certain death, situations which required the help of an immortal. Yes, Jacob admired and revered the knight and was looking forward to working together more closely with him in the future, maybe even coax one or two stories from Camelot out of him. He made a little fist pump, not able to contain his excitement, but tried to stay cool in his answer. “You got it, J, I will have a look at your herb garden first thing tomorrow morning and we’ll figure something out.”  
Cassandra had listened at the conversation between the two men and saw both of them smile. She stepped up to Jake and kissed his cheek “Thank you!” she whispered softly. “Thank you for bringing him back to me.” While Jacob was getting all sentimental again and searched for an appropriate answer which wouldn’t tear them all up anew, Ezekiel decided to save the situation by declaring loudly. “You know what, saving the Library and all that really made me hungry! Anyone else for pizza?”   
The three people around him all nodded in agreement, when Flynn called over to them from beside the mirror. He and Eve had been busy reconnecting with Charlene and Judson. They had informed the first Librarian and Guardian about everything that had happened in the dystopic world Nicole had created and about all other mischievous plans she had come up with. “Guys,” he began “How about those of you who are really hungry grab a bite in the kitchen real quick and I’ll invite you all to a proper dinner tonight?”  
“Hear, hear” Ezekiel clapped his hands in approval.  
“Wait, please, I wasn’t finished yet.” Flynn’s voice became earnest “There’s one more thing we have to do before.” He got down on one knee, plucked his trade mark, the carnation out of the button hole on his lapel and offered it to Eve. “My Guardian, my Baird, Eve, would you do me the honor to become my immortal partner by tethering to the Library with me?”  
The Tethering! In their excitement they had forgotten about this important event which they had to perform to prevent the Library from becoming unstable again.   
“Isn’t it already too late?” Cassandra asked anxiously.   
“Pipsy-posh, Cass!” Flynn answered her matter-of-factly “We are here, the Library is here, Nicole is defeated and according to my calculations we still have about half an hour until the Equinox is upon us.”   
Everyone was astounded to find out he was indeed right. The events of the past twenty-four hours had happened so suddenly and so closely one after the other, the Equinox had not even arrived yet and the Horologe was still silent. They realized that none of them had slept in over a day, but through all the excitement of the recent developments, no one was feeling tired either.   
Eve took the flower, the other hand covering her mouth. This was a big decision, but they had been through so much together. In the end, he had decided on wanting to tether with her months ago, shortly before Nicole had taken him hostage. “Yes, I will tether with you, Flynn Carsen” she replied and helped him stand up again. The Librarian immediately hugged her close. “I am very honored you said yes”, he confessed.   
Excalibur soared between them, yapping and occasionally snuggling up to both. Flynn had to dodge the overly affectionate sword several times. It had been a few months since they had last brawled and he was out of practice.   
Pan’s Flute rose from its artifact place, playing a cheerful song and several other artifacts with more or less questionable musical skills joined in. Even Excalibur tried to imitate the melody, although his attempt sounded more like a howling puppy. It was a really strange compilation of sounds, yet for Flynn this was the music of the Library and it felt like home.  
“Do we have your blessing?” he asked Charlene and Judson, who both smiled and nodded overjoyed. Even the ever serious and cool Charlene quenched a tear. Their star student would become a tethering Librarian and she and Judson wished they could exit the mirror at least for a little moment, to take the happily beaming Librarian and his Guardian into their arms for a hearty hug. Instead they wished them well and promised to keep an eye on them during their future adventures, not that they needed it, of course.  
Now there was no time to waste and three Librarians and a Guardian quickly split up and rushed into their respective apartments to get prettied up as quickly as possible. Only Cassandra stayed back for another moment. She just didn’t want to let go of Jenkins, so she stood there, still holding his hands in hers, not ready to break the contact. The last few hours still seemed too unreal. Seeing him before her now, so strong and radiant, felt like a beautiful dream.   
When she turned around she spotted Charlene in the mirror and thanked her again for keeping watch.   
“I wish I could have done more” the older woman admitted. “I’m glad Galahad has you from now on. You just need to make sure he doesn’t start handing out oaths again left and right for no reason. He does that. A lot! Although, somehow I think we won’t need to worry about this particular problem anymore.” she said with a cheeky smile and a wink at Cassandra, while Jenkins rolled his eyes at the two women in his life already gossiping about him. At least they weren’t doing it behind his back, so he straightened his shoulders and acted as if it didn’t affect him in the slightest.  
When Cassandra had said her goodbyes to the first Guardian, the caretaker opened a door to her apartment. They both still needed to get ready for the ceremony.   
Right before the redhead could step through the door though, he pulled her back again and into his arms for a nearly crushing embrace. Their lips found each other instantly. His kiss was hungry, passionate, demanding, a kiss like she had never received from him before, or from anyone else. She got weak in the knees and her mind went blank, she could just react. Opening her mouth, she let his greedy tongue inside. He explored her, tasted her, teased, his hands cupping her face, his fingers running through her crimson locks, before they trailed down her arms and her back and up again. Cassandra felt like she was on fire, leaning into him, gently swaying on her feet as the intensity of his kiss was making her dizzy.   
Laying a small hand on his chest, she felt his thundering heartbeat underneath her palm. That wonderful, strong heart, which had been beating in this annex for hundreds of years and would continue to do so for many more. He was immortal again, nothing could harm him now. She felt a small smile tug on her lips as the kiss ended and he released her again, her hand still resting on his chest, reveling in the small, rhythmic vibrations pulsing through his body with every deep breath.  
“Immortality certainly makes your kisses even hotter and sweeter” the Librarian murmured quietly, still panting, trembling slightly with excitement.   
“Then, my love, you will be happy to know that there are many more to come” her knight rumbled while wrapping his arms around her once more and softly kissing her forehead.   
As much as they both would have enjoyed to stay embracing each other like this forever, they had to get changed and Jenkins had to make preparations for the ceremony. So they shared another short but sweet kiss before Cassandra disappeared through the door.   
They would all return to their annex shortly after, then venture to the main Library, ready to hold a tethering. An event that, so they hoped, would also strengthen the bond of this small group of special people, who hadn’t known each other five years ago, but now called each other family.   
They were the Library, it was living and breathing through them and it would continue to thrive through their teamwork and friendship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, feel free to yell at me in the comments! I don't have any other pre-written stories to post, but I will consider suggestions/challenges if there are any.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading


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